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INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we will see the sin that lost the war. God’s plan for each believer is to live the Canaan experience every day in every area of life. In Joshua 7, we see the results of hidden sin. Sin brings failure. Regardless how long we have known Christ as Savior, we must be careful not to let sin break our relationship with God. God had given a solemn warning about the treasures left in Jericho. Joshua 6:18 says to “keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not covet them and take some of the things under the ban, and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it.” God gave the victory of the battle to the people, but the spoils belonged in the treasury of the nation.
At this point the walls have fallen and the city of Jericho is lying in ruins. God gave a mighty victory to the people of Israel. Each family is camped outside the city in their own tents. They rest from the rigors of the day’s battle. While most are asleep, one man, Achan, hides spoils from the battle under the floor of his tent. In disobedience to God’s command, he keeps 200 shekels of silver, a wedge of gold, and a Babylonian garment. His “secret” sin was revealed as 3,000 men went off to war against the small town of Ai the next morning. The secret sin of one man caused the loss of that battle and the death of 36 men in Israel’s army.
If we are to stay in Canaan and live victoriously, we need to heed the warnings of secret sin found in Joshua 7. Notice the underlying cause, the unfailing curse, and the ultimate consequences of secret sin.
THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF SECRET SIN
The two major causes for secret sin in the nation of Israel were carelessness and covetousness.
1. There was carelessness. There was a tremendous amount of carelessness by God’s people as it related to Ai. That is evident because, first, there was pride in the nation of Israel.
a. Caused by pride. The people were obviously elated by their success at Jericho. Pride likely caused them to think they could do anything and defeat anyone. If we think we do not need God’s power and Word, we are going to experience defeat in our lives. As a result of pride, they were careless in making decisions concerning Ai. Not only was there pride, but there was also presumption.
b. Caused by presumption.
3“They returned to Joshua and said to him, ‘Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few.’”
Men were sent to spy out the situation in Ai. Finding it to be a small, insignificant town, their report was accepted that only a small garrison of two or three thousand men was needed for this battle. This time Joshua failed to inquire of the Lord as to what he should do. May we never be presumptuous concerning our need for God’s abiding presence and help as we endeavor to live and serve victoriously for Him. When we think we can do things in our own might and wisdom, we are surely going to fail.
A missionary was trapped by a lion and pleaded for God to make a way of escape which God did, but he slept little that night because he could not kill a pesky mosquito that bothered him all night. He sought God’s help for the larger problem but not the smaller one. Many people get serious when they face their Jericho but think little of confronting their Ai with the help of God. It is often the small, insignificant matters that trip us and bring us to defeat. We need to be serious about every decision and every opportunity so we can be victorious at all times.
c. Caused by prayerlessness. A great prayer meeting took place after the defeat.
6“Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. 7Joshua said, ‘Alas, O LORD God, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8O LORD, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies? 9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?’ 10So the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? 11Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. 12Therefore, the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst.’”
After the defeat at Ai, they decided to pray and ask God what had gone wrong. We often use prayer as a last resort instead of as our first defense. They allowed pride, presumption, and prayerlessness to bring them to defeat. If we are to live victoriously, we have to pray and ask God for His will and His power to be manifested. May we not be guilty of carelessness nor covetousness.
2. There was covetousness. Carelessness was Israel’s sin, but covetousness was Achan’s sin. He coveted what God said he could not have. Another word for covetousness is avariciousness, the insatiable desire that grows in the soil of an unsatisfied heart. Where is our heart today? Where do we find pleasure and joy? Is it in the things of this world or in the truth of God’s Word? We are not called to build our kingdom but God’s kingdom. We must fall in love with Jesus more than with anything this world has to offer. We must not allow covetousness to enter into our hearts and lives.
In 997 A.D. a German emperor had the tomb of Charlemagne (742-814 A.D.), the king of France, opened. Like many others, Charlemagne wanted to conquer the known world. Like many others, he failed. When his tomb was opened, Charlemagne was found sitting in a chair dressed in his robe. At one time his crown had been on top of his head; but as a result of his crumbling, decaying body, his crown had slipped over his bony skull and was now lodged around his neck. A Bible was also found in his lap with a finger pointed to the verse, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
The Bible tells us about the underlying causes of secret sin. It was carelessness on the part of the nation of Israel but covetousness on the part of the man Achan.
THE UNFAILING CURSE OF SECRET SIN
We cannot be successful in life and still live in sin. There is no such thing as a successful sinner. It is just a matter of time until sin catches up with the sinner and defeat and failure become part of life.
1. The curses that resulted from sin. First, there was the dishonoring of God.
a. The dishonoring of God.
8“O LORD, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies? 9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?”
When Israel was defeated, God was dishonored. When a believer falls into sin, it brings a reproach to the holy, righteous name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I can hear Joshua saying, “What are the Canaanites going to think about God’s people running from their enemies?” We must make certain that nothing we ever say or do dishonors the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Not only did his secret sin dishonor his God, but it also brought defeat to his brethren.
b. The defeat of his brethren.
12“Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst.”
There must be unity among the people of God. When one falls into sin, it hurts the rest of God’s people. It is your responsibility to know how I live, and it is my responsibility to know how you live. Achan’s secret sin brought defeat to his brethren.
c. The disgrace of his family. All the family names were mixed in together, and his entire family was brought into the problem. Our responsibility is to make sure we live in such a way we do not bring disgrace to the rest of our family members. That is what happened here. Everybody ended up in the middle of this big problem—all because of Achan’s secret sin. Not only was there dishonor to his God, defeat to his brethren, and disgrace to his family; but death also came to his loved ones.
d. The death of his loved ones.
25“Joshua said, ‘Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day.’ And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. 26They raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day, and the LORD turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to this day.”
Achan corrupted his family. Remember the night he carried the forbidden items—the gold, the silver, and the garment—into his tent. There was no way he could have rolled back the palette and dug the hole without some or all of his family members seeing what was happening. He corrupted his whole family by what he did. He brought all his family members and loved ones into his secret sin. Mark 9:42 says if one corrupts the members of his family, “it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.” Achan brought his sin into his family.
A pastor visited a man who had quit attending church. The man told the pastor not to worry; he had his own way of serving the Lord. Besides, he said, money was talked about too much and there were too many hypocrites in the church. After the pastor left, the man’s five-year-old son climbed into his lap and said, “We don’t want to be an old Christian, do we Daddy?” The man was so impacted by the comment of his child that he went to the pastor the next day and asked him to pray with him that the Lord would forgive his sins and restore him as a faithful Christian father.
Too many times, the next generation is hardened, callused, indifferent, lackadaisical, cold, bitter, and angry. We need to make sure we show our families by our lifestyle what it really means to love, praise, and glorify God. We need to live the victorious Christian life.
We have seen the underlying causes of sin and the unfailing curses of sin. Now we will examine the ultimate consequences of secret sin.
THE ULTIMATE CONSEQUENCES OF SECRET SIN
The world brags about the kicks a person gets from sin but never tells how sin will kick back. The world talks about its glitter and glamour, big parties and big times, but seldom do we hear the end of the story, the ultimate consequences of sin. The Bible tells us there was a revelation of sin.
1. The revelation of sin.
18“He brought his household near man by man; and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was taken.”
The Bible tells us in Luke 12:2 that not one sin will remain covered. Every secret sin will be revealed. We may hide sins from our pastor, family, and friends; but we can never hide them from God. God knew exactly what Achan had done. One day every sin is going to be revealed. Not only was there a revelation of sin, but there was also the recognition of sin.
2. The recognition of sin.
19 “Then Joshua said to Achan, ‘My son, I implore you, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.’ 20So Achan answered Joshua and said, ‘Truly, I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel, and this is what I did…’”
Achan told in detail what he did. In verse 21, he said, “I coveted them…took them…concealed [them].”
That is the progression of falling into sin. The same principle is found in Genesis 3:6. Eve saw...she took…then she gave. God saw Achan, and He sees us.
Achan’s confession came one day too late. Through the process of elimination, Achan’s sin was revealed…but not until he was caught. The time to get right with God is as soon as the Holy Spirit brings conviction.
Jesus said a day will come when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. We may hide our sins in this life, but one day everyone will confess their sins openly before God. The Bible tells us about the revelation of sin, the recognition of sin, and the retribution of sin.
3. The retribution of secret sin. Achan, his family, and all his possessions were destroyed by stoning and burning. Judgment came to Achan’s whole family because he had allowed his secret sin to be in his home also. One day God will mete out His holy judgment upon all sin, and one day judgment will come upon every sin and wickedness. God hates sin. We are not to serve God in Canaan on Sunday only and then go back to the wilderness on Monday. We are to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ at all times.
CONCLUSION
James Garfield was a lay preacher; the principal of his denomination’s college, Hiram College; and a great military leader. He could simultaneously write Greek with one hand and Latin with the other because he was ambidextrous. In 1880, he was elected president of the United States of America. After serving for only four short months, he was shot. The bullet did not exit his body but remained implanted in his back. Although he never lost consciousness, doctors could not find the bullet to extract it. Within three months, he died—not from a gunshot wound but from an infection caused by a bullet they could not see.
Unconfessed sin will eventually bring spiritual death to the sinner. We must allow the Holy Spirit to perform surgery and remove all the wrong attitudes, habits, and sins of our lives. God always wants to help us to be victorious as we face the big Jerichos and small Ai’s on our journey of spiritual victory.
